Leucine Rich Repeat-containing Protein LRG

Detection of LRG protein enables biomedical research

Leucine-rich alpha 2-glycoprotein 1 (known as LRG1 or LRG) contains a
leucine rich repeat domain and was first sequenced in 1985. Although
LRG is the first leucine rich repeat domain-containing protein to have
been identified, its biological function is still under active
investigation. LRG is expressed in brain tissue and cerebrospinal
fluid, and expression of LRG is induced by inflammation. Several studies suggest that LRG protein may
be a useful biomarker for disease states including idiopathic normal
pressure hydrocephalus (INPH), biliary tract cancer, Parkinson's
disease with dementia (PDD), and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP).
To support research on LRG, we offer anti-LRG antibody reagents and
LRG ELISA kits.

LRG and idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH)

While examining the expression of LRG protein in cerebral tissue
using histological sections of autopsied brain specimens from ten
human subjects, the authors found expression of LRG throughout the
entire brain, with particularly high expression in the deep cerebral
cortex. By assessing expression of LRG protein relative to age of
the subject, the researchers concluded that LRG expression in
resident astrocytes increased with age. Antibodies
to human LRG were used.

In an effort to identify potential biomarkers for idiopathic normal
pressure hydrocephalus (INPH), researchers compared the proteome of
cerebrospinal fluid from INPH patients and controls. LRG protein was
found to be elevated in samples from INPH patients. Subsequently, an
LRG
ELISA was used to quantify LRG in CSF samples of diseased and
healthy individuals. The authors suggested that LRG be further
evaluated for use in the identification of CSF shunting occurring in
INPH.

Two conditions, cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and gallbladder
carcinoma, are often grouped together and termed biliary tract
cancer (BTC). To identify better biomarker candidates for these
disorders, the authors performed proteomic profiling of
immunodepleted serum samples collected from patients with BTC,
primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), immunoglobulin G4-associated
cholangitis and healthy volunteers. LRG1 was identified as a
potential biomarker for BTC, and levels of LRG1 were further
assessed using the LRG
ELISA kit.

To assess the role of LRG in aging and neurodegenerative disease,
the authors used the human
LRG ELISA assay to quantify LRG concentration in cerebrospinal
fluid samples and performed immunohistochemistry on post-mortem
cerebral cortex samples. The level of human LRG in CSF samples of
patients with Parkinson's disease with dementia or progressive
supranuclear palsy was found to be higher than that of LRG levels in
CSF samples of healthy patients or individuals with other
neurodegenerative diseases. The authors suggested that LRG be
further studied for use as a biomarker.